Meal prep containers

Meal prepping is the process of preparing meals in advance and is hailed as a healthy choice to accommodate portioned meals and diet control. Meal prep containers help organize meals and store them for use following a schedule. Health-conscious people rely on these containers to assemble whole meals, prep ingredients, or prepare portions from batch cooking for freezing, baking, or reheating as part of a meal plan. Food prep containers are ideal for busy people to safely store meals for the week ahead without compromising the flavors and nutritional values. From single-compartment containers to bento boxes to silicone containers, meal prep food containers are available in varieties to suit different meal-prepping needs, calorie counting, and diet control.

Types of meal prep containers

Meal prep storage containers with compartments are ideal for prepping all the ingredients for a dish and storing them together as a ready-to-cook meal or for storing a whole meal that contains servings of dishes. Single-compartment containers can be used while cooking in batches to store different batches of a large quantity dish and reheat them for use. Two-compartment containers help keep different ingredients or dishes separate without mixing flavors and textures for prolonged freshness. Rice and gravies, vegetables and meats, breads and dips, etc., can be stored neatly in the sections.

Three-compartment containers are more about portion control in which equal or varying portions of different foods are included in a single meal. The Japanese-style bento box with sections for different dishes in a single serving is now popular for school lunches for children. Meal prep lunch boxes include a set of containers in different sizes for various dishes in a lunch meal. Salad containers help keep prepped salads fresh for days. Other reusable meal prep containers include insulated containers for hot or cold foods, parfait jars for overnight breakfast recipes, vacuum deal containers for prolonged freshness, and food-grade silicone bags.

Plastic or glass choices in meal prep containers

Plastic and glass are the common choices for materials of meal prep containers. Plastic meal prep containers are affordable choices that are also durable. Meanwhile, glass food prep containers might cost more and require special care to prevent breaking or chipping. Plastic containers also offer ease of handling, as they are lightweight compared to glass containers. But plastic is not resistant to stains like glass. Plastic is also ideal for meal prep freezer containers, as some glass containers may not be freezer-safe. Glass lunch containers are often microwave-safe, enabling easy reheating or instant baking, while only higher grades of food-grade plastic containers can be used in a microwave.

Choosing meal prep containers

The material is the first thing to consider while choosing between meal prep containers. Plastic is an easy-to-use option, while glass is long-lasting when cared for. The material also depends on intended usage, such as storage, baking, or reheating, as well as preferences on eco-friendly options. The next tip is to decide on the number of compartments, which should be based on the meal type, type and quantity of ingredients. Portability with lightweight material, leak-proof lids, and compact designs are also important. The size of the containers depends on the amount of meal prep, portion control, and storage needs.